Hi All,
I wanted to personally invite you to a few of our upcoming events & workshops:
[San Francisco] Founders Bay AI Tech Pitch Battle
We are hiring Senior AI Engineers, Sales, and Marketing at You.com! We just raised $100M to grow our AI Search Infrastructure. View all roles and apply here, and work with me!
If we’re not already connected, I’d love to hear from you — please follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. Let’s connect!
🎂 The Birthday I Knew I Was Leaving
Today is my birthday.
Every year, when it comes around, I think back to that one — the last birthday I spent in that house.
November 2021.
I woke up to breakfast in bed. My husband had made it for me.
My one-year-old was babbling in his crib.
My three-year-old was playing on the floor.
I looked around and thought, What a beautiful family I have.
My husband — still as handsome as the day we met.
My children — so full of light.
And I should have felt lucky.
But I wasn’t.
Because I already knew I was leaving.
I had spent months quietly preparing, trying to find the courage to leave.
That morning, everything felt like a performance —
the smiles, the candles, the “happy birthdays.”
I remember thinking, How can a moment be so beautiful and so heartbreaking at the same time?
The whole house was peaceful. Calm. Almost loving.
And it made me question myself for a moment —
the way you do when you’ve been made to doubt your own reality.
But deep down, I knew the truth.
I knew this would be the last birthday I ever celebrated there.
And one week later, I left.
For years, I couldn’t celebrate my birthday at all.
It didn’t feel like a beginning anymore — it felt like the day before the end.
Even now, four years later, part of me still feels heavy.
Because healing isn’t a straight line.
Sometimes, even when you’ve rebuilt everything —
your peace, your purpose, your life —
some days still sting.
But today, I’m going to try.
I’m going to try to be happy.
Not because everything’s perfect.
But because I made it out.
Because I’m free.
Because my kids are thriving.
Because the woman who couldn’t breathe that morning is still here —
still standing, still building, still growing.
Maybe I’ll never celebrate my birthday the same way again.
But maybe that’s okay.
Because this version of me — the one who left, who rebuilt, who found her voice again — is no longer ‘just’ surviving, she’s finally living.
Want us to sponsor an event or partner together? Contact us here
Founders Bay Virtual Workshop: Befriend Change: How Founders Can Turn Complexity into an Advantage »
Friday, November 14 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM
Change is constant in the startup journey — from shifting markets to rapid product pivots. In this workshop, Executive Coach Weronika Sobolak, former Meta & Facebook leader and Founder of Weronika Sobolak Coaching & Consulting, will guide founders through proven strategies to stay grounded and confident amid complexity.
If you’re a Robotics VC and would like to speak on a panel, reply to this email!
Friday, November 14 - 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
On November 14th, witness the world’s first-ever mind-controlled drone race, powered by Black Swan’s groundbreaking brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.
Players won’t use controllers — instead, drones will fly directly from the power of thought, navigating through a high-tech obstacle course in real time. This first-of-its-kind showcase blends cutting-edge neuroscience, drone racing, and immersive entertainment, opening the door to the next generation of competitive sports.
💡 Calling Robotics & Hardware VCs!
If you’re a VC focused on robotics or hardware and would like to join a short panel discussion, please reply to this email — we’d love to include you in the conversation!
Navi AI x GDG DevFest: Aviation Hackathon [Co-hosting with You.com x Founders Bay] »
Saturday, November 15 - 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Welcome to Navi AI’s Flight Lab, where developers, creators, and dreamers are building the next generation of aviation intelligence, from real-time flight analytics to AI copilots that never sleep.
Whether you code, design, or analyze data, this is your runway to learn, build, and launch something extraordinary.
We’ll have speakers from the U.S. Air Force, Civil Aviation, and Google, this event blends AI with real-world aviation insight.
Tuesday, November 18 - 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Founders Bay Expert Office Hour: 1-Hour Block Legal Advice is a chance for startup founders to get direct legal guidance from an experienced professional. Led by Jessica North (Jorrie), Partner at Perkins Coie LLP, this session is perfect for founders seeking clarity on legal matters. Jessica specializes in advising emerging companies, venture capital funds, and private equity investors, making her a valuable resource for startups at any stage.
Tuesday, November 18 - 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Join us for the AI Tech Pitch Battle, hosted by Mariane Bekker from Founders Bay, where visionary founders showcase groundbreaking innovations transforming industries through artificial intelligence, deep tech, and frontier technologies. This dynamic event brings together top founders, investors, and industry experts to spotlight the startups shaping the future of technology.
Apply to pitch: https://forms.gle/XDWzGJYXkU2suU116
Thursday, November 20 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM
In this high-impact session, veteran startup leader and investor Larry Udell, Founder of the LES Silicon Valley Chapter, draws on his extensive experience launching, scaling and advising tech companies to reveal how founders transform bold ideas into enduring success. You’ll gain an inside view of the pivotal decisions, growth inflection points and mindset shifts that mark the journey from founder to fortune.
Friday, November 21 - 11:00 AM –12:00 PM
In today’s competitive startup landscape, your personal brand is one of your most valuable business assets. As a founder, how you show up on LinkedIn can directly shape your company’s visibility, reputation, and growth opportunities. In this session, Diandra Escobar, Founder of Distinctiva, will share proven strategies for building an authentic and influential LinkedIn presence that drives real business outcomes.
Friday, November 21 - 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
This Thanksgiving season, we’re gathering the startup community for an evening of connection, gratitude, and collaboration. Join us for the Founders & VC Thanksgiving Dinner at Focus Innovation Studio — a warm, open event where founders, investors, and friends of the innovation ecosystem come together to share stories, ideas, and a festive meal.
Wednesday, December 3 - 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Get ready to pitch your startup to leading investors and venture capitalists at the next Founders Bay Virtual Investor Pitch Session.
This online event connects early-stage founders with seasoned investors eager to discover the next wave of high-impact startups. Whether you’re raising your pre-seed or Series A round, this is your opportunity to showcase your vision, traction, and growth potential to an audience that matters.
Each selected founder will have a few minutes to present their pitch deck, followed by live feedback from investors and startup mentors.
Thursday, December 4 - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Start your morning with inspiration, connection, and community at the Women Founders Breakfast — a gathering designed to bring together women leaders, innovators, and investors who are shaping the future of entrepreneurship. Hosted at Focus Innovation Studio, this breakfast offers a relaxed and empowering space to share insights, exchange stories, and build meaningful relationships with fellow founders and supporters in the startup ecosystem.
Wednesday, December 10 - 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
In this session, you’ll discover how to identify scalable growth channels, attract your first users, and convert early adopters into loyal advocates. Through practical frameworks, case studies, and actionable insights, you’ll learn the same lean tactics top growth marketers use to test, iterate, and achieve explosive results on minimal budgets.
Thursday, December 11 - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
In this Founder Deal Lab, we’ll explore proven strategies for converting pilots into multi-year partnerships. Learn how to align technical outcomes with business impact, build strong internal champions, and design pilot structures that set your startup up for expansion.
Jin Kang, Global Head of Forward-Deployed Engineering & AI GTM at AWS, will share insights from working with startups and enterprise teams worldwide — breaking down how founders can successfully navigate complex sales cycles and scale enterprise adoption.
Friday, December 12 - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Hosted by Mariane Bekker, Managing Partner of Founders Bay, this exclusive breakfast brings together AI executives, founders, and innovators for a morning of meaningful connections and future-focused conversations. Over coffee and freshly baked bagels, attendees will discuss the latest trends shaping AI infrastructure, automation, and enterprise adoption.
Held at the Tesla Showroom on Van Ness, the event offers a one-of-a-kind setting where innovation meets design. Guests will have the opportunity to test drive Tesla vehicles and enjoy an exciting Tesla light show, creating an unforgettable backdrop for networking and collaboration.
Thursday, December 18 - 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Celebrate the season with an exclusive evening of fine dining and high-impact conversations at the Founder/VC Holiday Dinner in San Francisco. This invite-only gathering brings together visionary founders, venture capitalists, and tech leaders to connect over shared insights, emerging trends, and the future of innovation in AI, frontier tech, and startups.
Managing Partner, Founders bay
Hi! I'm Mariane Bekker, an investor and a tech executive with over a decade of experience building high-performing engineering teams at leading startups such as New Relic and Mindbody. I've led engineering through 5 acquisitions and 1 IPO.
I’m the founder of Founders bay and Women Founders bay, connecting founders with expert guidance, events, and funding opportunities in the Bay Area. I’m also Head of Developer Relations at You.com, and we just raised $100M to grow our AI Search Infrastructure!